Computer connection cables may include so-called inline circuitry to perform various functions on the signals being transmitted. By “inline circuitry” (or “inline circuits”) we mean any electronic circuitry (possibly on a printed circuit board—PCB) that may be incorporated in a computer cable, regardless of the cable's or circuitry's function. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/951,774, entitled “Passive video multiplexing method and apparatus,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes a so-called Rack Interface Pod (RIP) which is provided for receiving video signals from a server computer and providing them to a remote user via a local area network (LAN), preferably an Ethernet LAN. Similarly, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/123,075, titled “Computer interface module,” and filed May 6, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes RIPs and related circuitry.
It is generally desirable that inline circuits (and the corresponding inline PCBs on which they are mounted) be small. This allows for so-called “lump in the cable” designs, where the inline circuit is formed integral with the cable, appearing as a bulge or lump in the cable. An example of such a circuit can be seen, e.g., in FIG. 24 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/123,075, which illustrates a Rack Interface Pod (RIP) device having two network connectors located in the main body and integral therewith. In order to achieve a lump/bulge in cable effect, inline PCBs are preferably formed by molding an appropriate material over them after the wires have been connected to the PCBs.
The inventors realized that the size of inline PCBs made their manufacture difficult. In particular, the inventors noticed that the size of the PCBs generally meant that the wire connection locations or contacts on the PCBs were close together. This closeness of the contacts increases the risk of wires from one contact touching an adjacent contact. The inventors further realized that this risk was increased by the overmolding process used to create the desired inline effect.
When connecting a cable containing twisted pairs to a PCB, it is necessary to untwist an end portion of the wires. The inventors also realized that, especially in the case of twisted pairs, it is desirable to keep the length of the untwisted wires to a minimum. This requirement is made more difficult by small (e.g., inline) PCBs.
Additionally, in the case of inline PCBs, since the wires may, by their very nature, be moved about and possibly pulled, there is increased risk of the wires disconnecting from the PCBs.